News 76ers Team Notes

[JJ]

LOL oh man the Sixers are actually looking like a REAL TEAM right now and I gotta say I'm both impressed and annoyed by it as a Bills fan who has to watch Philly sports succeed at anything

That Dominick Barlow game against the Clippers though?? 26 points and 16 boards including 9 OFFENSIVE REBOUNDS?! That's the kind of hustle play that makes you tip your cap even when you don't want to. Kid was absolutely eating on the glass. Career night for a guy who's basically been a deep bench piece.

And VJ Edgecombe bouncing back against Golden State with 25/7/7 after going 1-of-11 against LA shows some serious mental toughness for a rookie. That trash talk to Buddy Hield after taking him to the rim was HILARIOUS. National team teammate or not, you gotta let him know!

Five game win streak without Paul George for most of it is legitimately impressive. Kelly Oubre stepping up, Trendon Watford being a legit point-forward off the bench, Barlow becoming a factor... Morey might have actually built some depth here finally.

Still think the Bills would beat the Sixers in a game of football though. Just saying.

But seriously - how long is PG's suspension? 25 games?? That's BRUTAL. If they can stay afloat during that stretch they might actually be dangerous come playoff time. Embiid dropping 40 against New Orleans and then getting rest days is exactly how you manage that guy down the stretch.

 

[Philadelphia 76ers]

Sixers reportedly trade Jared McCain to Thunder

PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - JANUARY 29: Jared McCain #20 of the Philadelphia 76ers dribbles the ball against the Sacramento Kings at Xfinity Mobile Arena on January 29, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The 76ers defeated the Kings 113-111. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images) | Getty Images

The Sixers will apparently let the Oklahoma City Thunder have another promising young sharpshooter.

Jared McCain is reportedly being traded to the Thunder for a first-round pick (Houston’s 2026 first) and three second-rounders, per ESPN’s Shams Charania.

BREAKING: The Philadelphia 76ers are trading guard Jared McCain to the Oklahoma City Thunder for a 2026 Rockets first-round pick and three second-round picks, sources tell ESPN. pic.twitter.com/0wGXxzPURG

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 4, 2026

Just, what a bummer after last season.

This looks like simply a move to gain draft capital and free up money. On top of the Rockets’ first-round pick this year, the Sixers will be receiving the most favorable of the Thunder, Rockets, Pacers and Heat’s 2027 second-round pick, a 2028 Bucks’ second and a 2028 Thunder second, per Jake Fischer of the Stein Line.

Fischer is also reporting that the Thunder are trying to acquire Ousmane Diang, but it doesn’t appear that the Sixers will be receiving any players back at this time.

The second rounders heading from OKC to Philadelphia, per source: 2027 most favorable OKC/HOU/IND/MIA, 2028 Milwaukee, and 2028 OKC. https://t.co/0wkian2fjH

— Jake Fischer (@JakeLFischer) February 4, 2026

For now, this would get the Sixers out of the luxury tax. They were only $1.3 million dollars over thanks to the suspension of Paul George, and now they’ve shedded McCain’s $4.2 million dollar salary.

Of course the Sixers aren’t done — they needed to free up at least one more roster spot to convert Dominick Barlow to a standard contract. The same goes for Jabari Walker, who ran out of two-way days after their win in Golden State.

This is a pretty frustrating move if this is just to clear up a roster spot for Walker. While McCain’s value had certainly cratered with his drop in production, the upside of him figuring it out is certainly higher than any bench contributions Walker could have given them this season.

In the 37 games McCain’s appeared in this year he’s averaged just 6.6 points per game shooting 38% from the field and 37% from three. A good example of how little opportunities he was afforded was that he made that three-point percentage jump from 32% to 37% with just three good games in the past week.

Charania has seemingly confirmed that this move is just to free up the logjam of guards with the Sixers. In a follow up tweet he listed the added flexibility as well as the ability to retain Barlow, Walker and Quentin Grimes as reasons for the trade.

The talented McCain lands on the reigning NBA champions. For the 76ers, the trade allows them to receive assets, clear space in the glut of guards and give them flexibility to bring Quentin Grimes back in free agency. It also allows them to convert two-way Dominick Barlow. https://t.co/Dvsqvog38z

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 4, 2026

That’s pretty frustrating with Grimes going through very similar struggles over the past month while needing a new contract even sooner than McCain. Grimes shot 31% from three in the month of January.

Perhaps the Sixers have a bigger splash coming, but for now this is a pretty difficult pill to swallow. Hey, that 2026 Rockets first could be anything — it could even be a player with Jared McCain’s upside!

Source: https://www.libertyballers.com/76ers-news/85772/sixers-reportedly-trade-jared-mccain-to-thunder

 

[Zedster]

Well that McCain trade news really takes some wind out of the sails after such a nice stretch. Five straight wins, Barlow having that breakout game against the Clippers, Edgecombe showing he can bounce back from rough nights... and then you move McCain for what amounts to cap flexibility and picks that might not amount to much.

I get the roster crunch was real with needing to convert Barlow and Walker, but trading a guy with McCain's shooting upside just to potentially keep Grimes around feels backwards to me. Grimes has been struggling just as much and needs a new deal sooner. The "it could be anything, even a player like McCain" joke writes itself unfortunately.

The silver lining is Barlow's emergence does soften the blow a bit. Nine offensive rebounds in one game is absurd energy. If he can keep providing that kind of production, at least the depth chart looks a little less thin. And Edgecombe taking that step forward as a primary option when Embiid sits is encouraging for the future.

Still feels like the front office is prioritizing financial flexibility over keeping young talent with upside though. OKC just keeps collecting promising guards while we're trying to figure out roster math. Hoping there's a bigger move coming that makes this make sense, but for now it's a tough one to process right after such a fun week of basketball.

 

[Philadelphia 76ers]

Edgecombe leads the way as Sixers win season-high 5th straight vs. Warriors

SAN FRANCISCO, CA - FEBRUARY 3: VJ Edgecombe #77 of the Philadelphia 76ers drives to the basket during the game against the Golden State Warriors on February 3, 2026 at Chase Center in San Francisco, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Noah Graham/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

It’s been a while since this one could be used, but that is 1-2-3-4-5 wins in a row for the Sixers.

Philadelphia swept their back-to-back with a 113-94 win over the shorthanded Golden State Warriors Tuesday night, their first five-game winning streak since the end of the 2023-24 season.

VJ Edgecombe bounced back with his first 20-point game in two weeks, leading all scorers with 25 with seven rebounds shooting 11-of-20 from the floor.

Tyrese Maxey dealt with a swarming defense all night, finishing with as good a 14-point and seven-assist game as possible. Kelly Oubre Jr. carried the Sixers from deep, putting up 15 points shooting 4-of-12 from the field and 4-of-10 from three-point range. Gui Santos and Pat Spencer led Golden State with 13 apiece.

On the second night of a back-to-back the Sixers were without Joel Embiid, out with right ankle injury management on top of Paul George’s suspension. The Warriors were without Steph Curry, Jonathan Kuminga, and Jimmy Butler who’s out for the season.

Here are some thoughts at the buzzer.

First Quarter​

• A much slower start than the previous night with the Warriors chasing Maxey off the ball. Two of their first three field goals of the night were Andre Drummond putbacks, though Dominick Barlow carried something over hitting the Sixers’ first three of the night.
• Playing against an old team of his, Oubre found his shooting stroke early with a pair of threes. He was also one of the four Sixers to pick up a steal in the first as they forced seven turnovers. When they were able to take care of the ball the Warriors shot 57% from three.
• After sputtering for a couple of minutes, the Sixers’ offense got a quick flurry to end the quarter. Edgecombe got to the basket off the dribble, Adem Bona was actually able to do the same off a hand off. Trendon Watford got some earlier run and hit a couple push shots, the second cutting the Warriors’ lead to one.

.@trendonw on a mission. pic.twitter.com/8fRoD7tTve

— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) February 4, 2026

Second Quarter​

• Carrying over from the first, the Sixers capped off a 14-0 run with an impressive alley-oop to Bona thrown by Quentin Grimes. Both Edgecombe and Grimes had good moments off the dribble in this stretch, each of them drilling threes in response to the Warriors’ baskets that had ended the run.

BONA 4EVER pic.twitter.com/ZaDCmEj25f

— Liberty Ballers (@Liberty_Ballers) February 4, 2026

• Speaking of former teams, it was De’Anthony Melton and Buddy Hield trying to get the Warriors back on track. Their three-point shooting had cooled down, missing six of their first seven of the second. Grimes and Edgecombe had not cooled down though, growing the Sixers’ lead to as big as 15.
• That was erased in quick fashion thanks to a 10-0 Golden State run. Drummond had a rougher second go with two ugly turnovers. Oubre also coughed up an easy fast break opportunity getting tunnel vision on a drive. The Sixers didn’t score a field goal for the last 6:13 of the half after a Grimes three. A reckless closeout by Moses Moody on a Maxey three helped them scrape by to the break with a three-point lead.

Third Quarter​

• The field goal drought continued as it took the Sixers three minutes to make their first of the half with a tough Edgecombe floater. The good thing was not only was Barlow rebounding just about every miss, but the Warriors also couldn’t score for the first four minutes of the half.

The rook has bounced back in a big way tonight pic.twitter.com/k6xcPjncEa

— Liberty Ballers (@Liberty_Ballers) February 4, 2026

• A three from Hield opened up the lid back up again, but Edgecombe had baskets to answer. He tried to run fast off of misses, getting fouled on one aggressive drive attempt and making a layup on another. A few possessions later he hit their second three in a row that was the result of good ball movement.
• That didn’t last for long as the Warriors shot just 28% from the field in the quarter. The Sixers had a chance to really stretch their lead but mistakes and bad bounces got in the way. They had several bunnies spin out late in the quarter. Still, after a three from Melton with time winding down the Sixers were still on top by 13.

Fourth Quarter​

• Edgecombe remained in control, kicking off the quarter with a fadeaway jumper from the baseline. Watford had missed some of those bunnies in the third but got on target again with his driving push shots. Drummond was able to redeem himself as well with a wild drive.

Wat pushing through pic.twitter.com/LTGMFaSri3

— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) February 4, 2026

• The only bummer was that Jared McCain had another short leash on the night, not seeing any minutes in the second half until the benches had emptied. He missed both of his shots in the first half, one of them getting thoroughly swatted. Ironically, the Sixers finally started to hit some threes as a team to put the game away. Drummond got involved in that as well, hitting his first three since early January.

Source: https://www.libertyballers.com/76er...ombe-adem-bona-quentin-grimes-trendon-watford

 

[Philadelphia 76ers]

Sixers ownership lets down Joel Embiid (again)

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - NOVEMBER 04: Jared McCain #20 and Joel Embiid #21 of the Philadelphia 76ers confer against the Chicago Bulls during the first half at the United Center on November 04, 2025 in Chicago, Illinois. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Joel Embiid has been through a lot since the Philadelphia 76ers drafted him in 2014. He has dealt with tragedy in his personal life, disappointments in his professional life, and too many injuries to list concisely. This year, however, things have looked up. Say what you will about how Joel may have treated his conditioning and dietary habits when he was younger, but the man is currently doing everything possible for both his physical and mental health. He has also done the right things as a teammate, graciously stepping aside to allow Tyrese Maxey to assume the mantle as the team’s top player, in both general demeanor and on-court usage.

Good results have followed. Embiid is on pace to play his most games since the 2022-23 season with numbers that could have reasonably made him an NBA All-Star. The Sixers are also winning games, currently riding a season-best five-game winning streak that has them fifth place in the Eastern Conference at 29-21. The East has no true juggernaut, so you can certainly make the argument that Philadelphia has a puncher’s chance to make a serious run come springtime. Embiid certainly thought so, as he uncharacteristically spoke out in advance of the NBA trade deadline, imploring ownership to let things play out, at a minimum.

“Obviously, we’ve been ducking the tax past couple of years, so hopefully, we’ll keep the same team. I love all the guys that are here. I think we got a shot.

“I don’t know what they’re gonna do, but I hope we get a chance to just go out and compete because we’ve got a good group of guys in this locker room. The vibes are great. Like I said, in the past we’ve been I guess ducking the tax, so hopefully we think about improving because I think we have a chance.”

Did the front office heed the call from its franchise player of the last 10-plus years? Did they improve on the margins to bolster some holes in the rotation? Did they take a big swing to really go after things? No, you must be new to the city of Philadelphia. You see, instead, they actively went out and made the team worse in order to save ownership money.

Jared McCain to Oklahoma City for lukewarm draft capital is criminal. Here’s a guy who is a huge fanbase favorite and beloved in the locker room, who by every account, has an incredible work ethic to improve. So you sell him at an absolute low point in his value, for a draft pick in the low-20s and some seconds, with which you’ll be incredibly lucky to get a player in the future who is as good as McCain.

In the present, you can say McCain wasn’t having a great season, but he was still the team’s fourth guard. Who they replaced with no one! And he seemed to be rounding into form coming off the injuries. He had three games just last week where he hit four or more threes. Did you see how happy his teammates were for him in that Bucks game? And you just go out and completely kill all those vibes for a few million dollars.

There were good teams in the East who also made moves to duck the tax, but those teams also made meaningful improvements. They didn’t trade away a 21-year-old in his second season for picks that do nothing to help their current team.

What is Joel Embiid supposed to think? He has been killing himself to get his body back in playing shape to help this team, he literally issues a public cry for help for management not to cheap out again this year, and they say to heck with that, not only are we going to duck the tax yet again, but we’re going to ship off an incredibly well-liked player with nothing but upside in the process. Why is Joel going to go to war for a franchise that clearly doesn’t care enough to put his wishes over a couple more positive lines on the balance sheet?

I’m so frustrated with this organization. The McCain move is unfathomable, and they also do the Eric Gordon money-saving move, which is ultimately a big nothingburger, but you still shake your head that Josh Harris and company put in the call to find some more pennies in the couch cushions. And they spin it all as necessary to give Dominick Barlow a standard contract, when they could have done that months ago. None of this is about giving Barlow a well-deserved deal. They’ve been playing two-way day calculation games forever now in order to save money. They had an open roster spot nearly all year in order to save money (when another actual NBA player sure could have helped win games a few times). And now this senseless McCain trade to save money. It all comes down to money and it’s gross.

Fans should be livid. All the players on the team should be upset. They’ve been playing their hearts out this year and not only did no reinforcements arrive, but they sent a beloved teammate away. But I can’t help but think of Joel first and foremost, who said ‘Please don’t do this’ and they spit in his face by doing it anyway. I don’t know how many healthy-ish years Embiid will have left. I hope plenty more. But this organization sure is wasting one of them. I’m furious at them, and sad for him.

Source: https://www.libertyballers.com/76er...hip-metaphorically-spits-in-joel-embiids-face

 

[Philadelphia 76ers]

Here’s how the Sixers’ roster, draft pick situation look after the 2026 NBA trade deadline

Apr 13, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia 76ers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey addresses the media with head coach Nick Nurse after the game against the Chicago Bulls at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Ross-Imagn Images | Kyle Ross-Imagn Images

As you all know by now, it was an underwhelming trade deadline for the Sixers.

They traded second-year guard Jared McCain to the Oklahoma City Thunder for draft capital and veteran guard Eric Gordon to the Memphis Grizzlies in what amounts to a salary dump. The positive is Dominick Barlow was rewarded for his strong play with a standard contract. They did some roster housekeeping, with some more surely coming.

Here’s a summary of where things stand for the team after the NBA trade deadline:

The picks and players the Sixers acquired:​

• Luxury tax savings
• 2026 first-round pick (HOU)
• 2027 second-round pick (most favorable OKC, HOU, IND, MIA)
• 2028 second-round pick (OKC)
• 2028 second-round pick (MIL)
• Converted Dominick Barlow to standard deal
• Draft rights to Justinian Jessup
• Signed Charles Bassey (10-day)
• Signed Patrick Baldwin (10-day)

The picks and players the Sixers sent out:​

• Jared McCain
• Eric Gordon
• 2032 second-round pick swap

The new, full Sixers roster​

1. Tyrese Maxey
2. Joel Embiid
3. Paul George
4. VJ Edgecombe
5. Kelly Oubre Jr.
6. Quentin Grimes
7. Andre Drummond
8. Dominick Barlow
9. Trendon Watford
10. Adem Bona
11. Justin Edwards
12. Kyle Lowry
13. Johni Broome
14. Charles Bassey (10-day)
15. Patrick Baldwin (10-day)
16. Jabari Walker (two-way)
17. MarJon Beauchamp (two-way)

Sixers draft picks remaining​

First rounders:

• 2026 own (protected 1-4)
• 2026 HOU
• 2027 own
• 2028 own (if 1-8 or if 2026 first-round pick is 1-4)
• 2028 LAC (fully unprotected)
• 2029 own (rights to pick swap with LAC)
• 2030 own
• 2031 own
• 2032 own

Second-rounders:

• 2027 own
• 2027 GSW/PHX (more favorable)
• 2027 OKC/HOU/IND/MIA (more favorable)
• 2028 own
• 2028 DET (protected 31-55)
• 2028 GSW
• 2028 MIL
• 2028 OKC
• 2029 PHI
• 2030 PHX/POR (more favorable)
• 2030 WAS
• 2031 PHI
• 2032 PHI/MEM (least favorable)

While ducking the tax doesn’t help all that much with team building, the draft capital the team received for McCain could be very useful as the team looks to build long-term around Maxey and Edgecombe. Overall, the Sixers have a decent amount of draft assets while having a good amount of talent already in place. Again, that does little for the 2025-26 Sixers, but could help Daryl Morey and company take big swings in the future.

What are your thoughts on the deadline? Who would you like to see the team target on the buyout market? Drop your thoughts in the comments.

Source: https://www.libertyballers.com/nba-...a-trade-deadline-trades-draft-picks-contracts

 

[Philadelphia 76ers]

Daryl Morey explains rationale behind Jared McCain trade

PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - JANUARY 27: Jared McCain #20 of the Philadelphia 76ers reacts against the Milwaukee Bucks at Xfinity Mobile Arena on January 27, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The 76ers defeated the Bucks 139-122. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images) | Getty Images

The Sixers’ biggest bit of business at the trade deadline was also their most surprising. The team sent second-year guard Jared McCain to the Oklahoma City Thunder for draft compensation.

McCain was the 16th overall pick in 2024, the Rookie of the Year favorite pre-injury, and is still just 21 years old, on a rookie deal through the 2027-28 season and unable to even hit restricted free agency until the 2028-29 season.

So, why trade a player like that, especially when the trade did nothing to help Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and the 2025-26 Sixers?

President of basketball operations Daryl Morey did his best to explain the decision.

“We see Jared as somebody that’s more likely to help a team in the future,” Morey said. “I think that’s fairly obvious; I think he has a bright future. We thought that the draft picks we got would help us more in the future — and could’ve helped us this deadline. The picks we got were offered to many teams and nothing materialized for a player that we thought could move the needle with those picks now. But we feel like going forward, those picks will help us build the team in the future in a good way.”

OK, let’s break down those comments a bit.

McCain undoubtedly struggled this year returning from a torn meniscus and also a UCL tear he suffered ahead of training camp. He missed the first six games of the season, struggled to find consistent playing time and never truly regained his form from a season ago. Though he’d shown flashes recently, it was fair to wonder if this was simply going to be a lost season for McCain.

While Morey said he wanted to use the draft capital he got in the deal to make an upgrade this season, the order of operations suggests the McCain deal still would’ve gone down no matter what. Sure, as Morey stated, the team got the deal done early so they could explore other options, but without a separate deal already in place, McCain would’ve been gone either way.

This wasn’t about ducking the tax. This wasn’t about improving this season — though the team surely did try to flip the assets for an upgrade. Morey can drop all the niceties about McCain he’d like, but it seems obvious the team valued the compensation and the future flexibility over rostering McCain. Whether it was fit or not believing in his future, the organization was ready to move on from McCain.

Many will fairly question the timing. The team could still use guard depth as Maxey leads the NBA in minutes per game and VJ Edgecombe leads all rookies. So, why not let the season play out when a similar offer would likely be on the table this offseason? And wasn’t the franchise selling McCain at his nadir value after such a promising rookie campaign?

“I’m quite confident we were selling high,” Morey said. “Obviously, time will tell. We weren’t looking to sell. I’ll be frank. Teams came to us with aggressive offers for him. You could say, ‘Yeah, that’s because he’s a good player.’ I agree with that. We thought this return was above, for the future value of our franchise, what we could get. The only higher point would’ve been during his run last season. Otherwise, we feel like we did time this well.”

Morey defended the return for McCain, saying it was superior to the value of a deal for a quality starting-caliber player. While Morey did make note that the consensus is the 2026 NBA draft is considered a good and deep one, he also admitted that wasn’t really the motivation behind the trade.

“That wasn’t the main focus,” he said. “I think it’s a nice focus, because we do think this draft is a good draft, but we’re not necessarily using the pick in this draft. It could be used for moves around the draft. The three seconds that we got with it, we think those could be used to move up in this draft. Obviously, myself and our front office have done a lot of deals over the years, and this just gives us more tools to make the moves that we think will help our future more than we saw with Jared, who we gave up. But that’s not a comment on Jared.”

Again, Morey has to say it’s “not a comment on Jared,” but how could it not be? It’s clear the starting backcourt for the next decade or so should be Maxey and Edgecombe. It’s also clear that Morey and the team preferred attempting to re-sign Quentin Grimes this offseason over letting him walk and hoping McCain could take over as the team’s top guard off the bench.

In the end, this is what it’s about — Morey and the Sixers felt the assets they got were more valuable to them than Jared McCain. We’ll find out soon enough if that’s the case.

Source: https://www.libertyballers.com/76er...dline-sixers-jared-mccain-thunder-daryl-morey

 

[Philadelphia 76ers]

Time will tell if the Sixers were right to move on from Jared McCain

PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - JANUARY 27: Jared McCain #20 of the Philadelphia 76ers celebrates with Joel Embiid #21, Tyrese Maxey #0, Andre Drummond #1, and Trendon Watford #12 against the Milwaukee Bucks at Xfinity Mobile Arena on January 27, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The 76ers defeated the Bucks 139-122. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images) | Getty Images

For several weeks earlier this season, Jared McCain had a copy of the book “The Inner Game of Tennis” in his locker.

According to the Amazon.com summary, the 1972 work by W. Timothy Gallwey is about “a revolutionary program for overcoming the self-doubt, nervousness, and lapses of concentration that can keep a player from winning” – and not just in tennis, but every walk of life.

No less a figure than Bill Gates called it “the best guide to getting out of your own way.”

While I never got the chance to ask McCain about it – and I had planned to – this would at least hint at the fact that the issues the young guard faced in Philadelphia were not confined to the knee injury that cut short his promising rookie year after 23 games, nor the thumb injury that caused him to get off to a slow start this season, his second with the Sixers.

Whatever was holding him back – whether he was still hobbled or indeed unable to get out of his own way – he seemed to be getting it together recently. And that’s the thing that gnaws at you, now that he has been traded to Oklahoma City: We never really got to see how his next chapter might read.

The arguments for dealing him are manifest. He was blocked by Tyrese Maxey, VJ Edgecombe and Quentin Grimes in the backcourt rotation. The Sixers gained the financial flexibility to sign Dominick Barlow to a big-boy contract. And those four draft picks obtained from the Thunder can be used in a future deal (though Daryl Morey told reporters he was unable to pull the trigger on anything that would have given the team immediate help).

That’s all well and good. But McCain is 21, and he played exactly 60 games for the Sixers. Nobody knows exactly what he is, nor what he might become. Put another way, he was an ACL tear away from getting big-time minutes here.

The suspicion is that he will never be an All-Star, but he could be a useful piece on a good team. That he has “an identifiable NBA skill,” as Brett Brown used to say – i.e., he can shoot – that will consistently resurface once he gets regular run again.

You know, like Isaiah Joe.

This is not an apples-to-apples comparison, but the Sixers cut Joe on Oct. 13, 2022, after he played sparingly for them over two seasons. The Thunder snapped him up three days later, and he has developed into a reliable off-the-bench sniper, nailing 41 percent of his three-point attempts over three-plus seasons.

And, of course, he earned a championship ring last spring.

The Thunder, ably operated by Sam Presti, are now hoping that the Philly pipeline delivers once more. While they are loaded and again rolling along – and while there is no clear role for McCain at present – he does represent a potential hedge against possible issues concerning their veteran wings.

The team holds an option on Lu Dort next season, and Alex Caruso, in the first season of a four-year, $81 million deal, is struggling at present. He’s also nearing his 32nd birthday. McCain is not the defender either of those guys are – who is? – but he offers another perimeter alternative, in the event Caruso is washed and/or OKC parts company with Dort (not as unlikely as it might appear, given the money the team has committed to its biggest stars – Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Chet Holmgren and Jalen Williams).

In short, this looks like the sort of low-risk transaction a smart, well-run team makes. If McCain doesn’t work out, no big deal; the Thunder has a bunch of other wings, and a bunch of assets to acquire anybody they might need.

And while it’s understandable why the Sixers went this route, it now seems like their reserve corps, already threadbare, is another man short. This is a team that is ranked 28th in the NBA in bench scoring, at 16.5 points a night. And in Thursday’s loss to the Lakers, their reserves were outscored by a staggering 61-14 margin. Given the precarious health of some of their front-line players, they are really walking a tightrope now.

McCain, for his part, bade a fond farewell to Philadelphia. On Instagram he wrote that Philly will “always be a home for me” and that he was “incredibly blessed to be drafted here.” And on TikTok he sang part of an Olivia Dean song entitled “A Couple Minutes,” notably these lines: “Although it’s over/I’ll always be there.”

Then he closed by saying, “I’ll always love ya, Philly.”

Yeah, it’s a business. We hear that time and again. But is it a good idea to give up on a guy like this? Only time will tell.

Source: https://www.libertyballers.com/76er...-thunder-trade-nba-trade-deadline-daryl-morey

 

[Philadelphia 76ers]

Sixers-Suns: Second Half Thread

Game Details
When: Saturday, February 7, 9:00 p.m. ET
Where: Mortgage Matchup Center, Phoenix, AZ
Watch: NBC Sports Philadelphia
Radio: 97.5 The Fanatic
Follow: @LibertyBallers

Source: https://www.libertyballers.com/76ers-discussion-threads/85979/sixers-suns-second-half-thread